The Roads We Travel
by Xariann
Summary: Prequel to Moonlit Shadows, this story explore her past relationship with her Betazoid lover. While interviewed by Starfleet Intelligence regarding potential ties with the Klingon Defence Force and the Orion Syndicate, Captain Kero Elan makes a discovery that hits at the core of her beliefs.
1. On Trial?

"Let it be put on record that under Starfleet Standard Containment Procedures, Captain Kero Elan of the USS Troi has been confined to quarters on Earth Space Dock, pending an investigation by Starfleet Intelligence.

Let it be put on record that the people present on today's hearing are myself Commander Jack Railard, and Lieutenant Lynda Abano as the interviewers, and Captain Kero Elan as the interviewee.

Let it be put on record that at present this is just an investigation, not a legal proceeding, albeit information released during this investigation might be used in such proceedings in future."

Kero was still, looking at the Commander with a self-assured poise. She was sitting on the chair facing the two Intelligence officers. A desk was between them, with a few PADDs on top. The room's illumination wasn't particularly bright, the lights were subdued although the surroundings weren't particularly dark either.

The door, to her left, was shut. The room wasn't really big enough to allow Railard's voice to echo, and the subdued lighting was giving it a more intimate feel, rather than appear as an ominous threat. It didn't seem like intimidation was part of the order of the day, but it wasn't easy to intimidate the half-Klingon Captain.

"Captain" Lt Abano began, "What was your relationship with Shiala Oreen?"

Kero maintained a dispassionate expression, "She was my Chief of Operations aboard the USS Troi."

Abano inclined her head forward a little, zoning her gaze into Kero's eyes. "Is that all, Captain? Aside from the professional relationship, what was she to you?"

The Captain responded with an equally unmovable gaze, "We were partners."

 _Stardate 91440.6 (June 10, 2414)_


	2. Hide and Seek

Everything seemed to shake. Actually, everything _was_ shaking. A powerless little kid looked around her, crouched in a ball, her arms around her knees, and worried that some of the crates that were supposed to protect her would fall on her head.

But where else could she go? She hid from the big green men who were shooting their way through the ship. She saw the adults on the floor by the galley. And Auntie Lynn, she was shouting and running somewhere. She didn't want to go with her Auntie, it sounded like guns were being shot that direction; so she ran away. She ran into the cargo hold, where she'd play hide and seek with the other kids. It was always difficult to find her there, the room was dark, the crates were big. There were a lot of nooks she could hide in, just like the one she was in now.

But it was cold and the crates kept shaking, making her heart race and almost feel like someone had punched her in the belly. She could hear muffled screams and steps, people running and still shooting. But if her friends couldn't find her there, neither could the big green men.

After a while the shaking stopped. The little kid was still curled up in her ball, too afraid to look outside her refuge.

When eventually the cargo hold door hissed open, she felt like her blood became solid ice. Was that her mama and papa? Was that Auntie Lynn? Or was it the big green men?

The voices she heard in some language she didn't know told her it was the latter. As the voices came closer, accompanied by the thump of the steps, she shivered. Where was mommy? And papa? She scouted around in the dark with her eyes, maybe she could climb somewhere and try to slip outside the hold unnoticed so that she could find her parents.

Eventually a voice came really close and she got ready to spring towards him. And sprung she did, as soon as a head poked into that nook that was no longer her safe refuge. Caught by surprise, the big green man stepped backward as the kid tried to claw her way out. She saw an opening and tried to run in the little space between his right leg and the side of the crate that was forming the left wall of her little fortress.

She managed a few steps before the man grabbed her from her shirt and prevented her from running. She heard a few incomprehensible words being exchanged between him and the other two marauders who were with him. The green man tugged her shirt so that she would turn to face him and smiled at her. Surprisingly, it was a smile that tried to reassure her.

"We are not going to hurt you" He said with an unfamiliar accent, "You are coming on a trip with us."

The kid was confused and frightened. The man kept looking at her; she seemed to have raven eyes and hair, but it was difficult to tell exactly with the limited light in the cargo hold. Eventually the kid asked, "Mama and papa?"

The big green man stopped smiling. "Just come with me."

 _Stardate 61504.2 (July 3, 2384)_


End file.
